Rotative slide valve



` Aug. 16, 1938. w.H. MARTIN ROTATIVE SLIDE VALVE Filed June 2:5, 193'/ 3 Sheets-Sheet l SMM:

Aug- 16, 1938. w. H. MARTIN 2,127,265

ROTATIVE SLIDE` VALVE' Filed June 23, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 16, 1938. w. H. MARTIN 2,127,265

I ROTATIVE SLIDE VALVE Filed June 23, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTATIVE SLIDE VALVE` William H. Martin, Pleasant Ridge, Mich.

Application June 23, 1937, Serial No. 149,93ii "piaims. (ci. 137-139) My invention has for its object to provide a slide valve having a small light weight rotatable member that is operable by a light force and slight movement for controlling flow of a fluid under pressure. The invention is o particular value when used in connection with Welders, riveters and the like which require the rapid transmission of a high pressure or the transmission of a rapidly pulsating pressure and also for remotely controlling the ow of iluid or the transmission of fluid pressures in connection with devices of various forms.

The invention also has for its object to eliminate all hammering of movable valve members that commonly occur in reciprocating or oscillating valves and particularly in spring-pressed valves. By my invention, the movable valve member is held in constant contact with a coact ing sealing surface by the pressure of the fluid of the source of supply of iluid pressure that is controlled by -the valve and all pressure-sealing springs are eliminated.

The invention also provides a means for sealing the passageway communicating with the 2li lowand high-pressuresides of the rotatable 40 'I'he invention consists in other features which will appear from the following description and upon examination of the drawings forming Va part hereof. Structures containing the invention may partake of different forms and may be varled in their details and still embody the invention. To illustrate a practical application of the invention, I haveselected a slide valve as an example oi the various structures that contain the invention and shall describe the selected structure hereinafter; it being understood thatv certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features of the invention and without departing from the spirit oi' the invention as pre- 55 sented in the claims. The structure fbetween the poles.

selected is shown in the accompanying drawings.

` Fig. l illustrates a view oi a section of the valve. Fig. 2 illustrates a section of a cap plate in which the valve is mounted. Fig. 3 illustrates a 5 view of a section taken on the plane of the line 3 3 indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 illustrates a side broken view of the valve. Fig. 5 illustrates the elctromagnetic means for actuating the valve. Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the connections 10 of the valve with a Welder. Fig. 7 illustrates a modified form of the apparatus indicated in the diagram shown in Fig. 6.

In the particular form of construction illustrated'in the drawings, the valve comprises a l5 rotative slide valve member and an electromagnetic means for actuating the member to produce step by step or periodic movements of the valve member and electromagnetically locate or register th valve member with respect to the ports 20 or openings through which fluid may pass or its pressure be transmitted. The valve is contained within a shell I comprising end shields or covers 2 located on the sides of a laminated ring. 4 forming the stator 5.- The end covers 2 25 are secured by means of bolts 1 to the ring 4. The end covers 2 are provided with projecting parts I that form a. base for supporting the valve. The end shields or covers 2 are also provided with bosses or hubs III and 'Il that aiford bear- 30 ing parts for the shaft I2 of the rotor Il located Within the chamber l5 formed by the enclosing covers 2. The shaft i2 is connected to a valve member I1 located in a chamber IB formed in the boss or hub I0 and is rotatively moved by the 35 motor means.

The stator 5 of the electromagnetic motor means is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending poles 20 surrounded by coils 2| for magnetizing the poles. The coils 2i maybe se- 40 cured in position on the poles by means of pins 23. The coils 2| located on diametricallyoppositely disposed poles, .are simultaneously connected in an electric circuit to establish a field The number of pairs of poles 45 formed on the stator maybe varied to' correspond to the number oi positions in which it is desired to locate'the valve member to produce port registration. Y

The rotor I4 'is provided with pole parts 22 50 that may extend crvedly in either or yboth directions with respect to the axis of. the shaft l2. Also, the poles 20 of the .stator may be provided with protruding pole parts 2l that may extend, illll'edly in either or both directions with respect 55 to the axis of the shaft I2, to subject the rotor to the fields of contiguous poles of the stator when the poles with which the stator is aligned become de-energized and the contiguous poles become energized. In the particular form of construction shown, the pole parts 22 extend arcuately in one direction while the pole parts 24 extend arcuately in the other direction to substantially bridge the spaces between the contiguous poles` toward which the stator is to be progressively advanced. The pole parts initiate the movements of the rotor I4 upon the sequential energization of each of the pairs of poles. Where the pole parts 22 and 24 extend in both directions and the stator is provided with more than two pairs of poles, rotation of the rotor and the valve member may be produced periodically in either direction, depending upon the sequential energization of the poles as produced by the flow of current through the coils 2l of such poles.

The valve member I1 is formed to tightly t the end of the shaft I2 to which the rotor is also secured. The shaft I2 extends through the wall located intermediate the chambers I5 and I8. The chamber I8 is closed by a plug 21 and a source of supply of fluid under pressure is connected to the chamber I8 through an opening 28 formed in a threaded boss 30 located in a side wall of the chamber and at apoint at one side of the valve member I1. 'I'he fluid pressure operates to press the valve member I1 against the surface part 3l of the wall 32 of the chamber I8. The wall 32 is provided with ports 34, 35 a-nd 31 formed within the area of the surface 3I over which the valve member I1 slidably moves.

The valve member I1 is a relatively small member having a recess 38 and edge parts 40. The recess 38 establishes connection between one or more of the ports in the wall 32 as the memb rI connects other of the ports in the wall 32 wit the chamber I8. Preferably, the valve member I1 is so shaped as to disconnect certainof the said ports with the chamber in advance of establishing connection of other of the ports with the chamber. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the outline of the movable valve memberconforms substantially to a figure eight. The recess 38 has parallel sides that extend diametrically with respect to the shaft I2 whereby the ports 84 may be connected to they port 31 and the ports 35 may be connected to the chamber I8 when the rotor I4 is located in one position with respect to the stator 5 and when the member is moved by the rotor I4 the edge portions 48 of the valve member I1 operate to disconnect the ports 3.5 from the chamber I8 and then to connect them with the port 31 as the ports' 34 are connected with the chamber. The shaft I2 extends through the port 31. Thus, in the form of construction shown, the valve is rotated step by step to produce alternate connections with the pairs of ports 34 and 35 andalternate connections of each pair of the said ports with the port v31 and .the chamber I8.

Where the ports in the wall 32 are arranged in pairs, the ports of each pair may be connected together by suitable passageways, such as the passageways 4I. The ports 34 are connected by the passageways 4I to an opening 42 formed in a threaded boss 44 located on a side wail of the hub I0 while the ports 35 are also connected by the passageways 4| with an opening 45 formed in a. threadedboss 41 also located on the side wall of the hub I8. The port 31 is connected by a passageway 48 to an opening formed in a threaded boss 49 for the discharge of the fluid controlled by the valve.

The ports and passageways closed by the valve member are sealed against entrance of the iluid from the chamber I8 by the fluid pressure that forces the edge of the valve member against the surface 3I of the wall 32. The bearing surfaces that rotatably support the shaft are likewise sealed against the escape of fluid from the chamber I8.

The magnetization of the poles will not only cause a quick responsive rotative movement of the rotor and the valve member, but also will bring the parts to a quick stop upon alignment of the stator with the energized poles and registration of the valve member with the ports. The magnetizing flux produces a shock absorbing reactive force to prevent movement beyond the required xed limitation and Without any jarring or pounding as commonly occurs in connection with oscillating or reciprocating valves.

The shaft I2, being connected to the valve member I1 which is subjected to the pressure of the fluid in the chamber I8, is, together with the valve member I1, pressed outwardly'with respect to the interior of the chamber. In order to reduce the contact pressure of the valve' member I1 against the surface 3I of the wall 32 and to greatly reduce the friction and resistance to movement of the valve member by the rotor, the electromage neticmeans not only operates to rotate the valve member but also to counteract the pressure of the fluid on the valve member and greatly reduce the frictional ycontact pressure and, consequently,

reduce resistance to movement of the valve member. In the form of construction shown, the rotor I4, which is secured to the shaft I2, is disposed outwardly with respect to the poles 20 and so as to dispose the central plane of the rotor located at right angles to the shaft I2,\more remote from the surface 3l of the wall32, against Which the valve member is pressed, than the similar central plane of the poles of the stator is 1ocated from the said surface. When the poles of the stator are magnetized, a magnetic force is exerted on the rotor in a direction opposite to that of the fluid pressure on the Valve and, consequently, the resultant pressure of the valve member against the surface 3| is greatly reduced which greatly reduces the resistance to the movement of the valve member and the rotor by the field of force created by the flow of .the current in the coils 2|.

The electromagnetically operated valve member thus may be utilizedS for rapid and accurate registration of the valve member with respect to its ports to connectv hydraulically or pneumatically operated devices with sources of supply of fluid under pressure for controlling the flow /of fluid to the devices and wherein all pounding and jarring of the valve member is eliminated and the parts are sealed by pressure of the controlled element of the valve by a high pressure, and yet frictional resistance to movement may be reduced to a desired degree and according to the sealing pressure that may be required during the movement. The valve is of particular value when applied to Welders of different forms that necessitate remote control of the fluid and, in their operation. are subject to a number of factors that are dependent upon the fluid pressure, such as the rate of pressure transmission, production of welding pressure of the work, automatic production of flow of welding current and cessation of flow within the period of-the welding pressure,

In Fig. 6 is indicated diagrammatically the elec- .tric and pneumatic connection of the `valve to a welding apparatus that is hydraulically operated by the actuation of the pneumatic booster which is controlled by the'valve. l

A Welder 50 is hydraulically connected to a booster I which is connected to the valvechamber I8 through the ports 34 and 35 by means of .the pipes 52 and 54. A source of supply of air under pressure is directed to the chamber I8 through the pipe 55. A- suitable pipe, if desired, may be connected to the port 31 for the discharge of the air that returns through either of the pipes 52 or 54. Thus, the ports 34 and 35 may be designated as the pressure ports of the valve and the port 31 may be designated as the exhaust port. The booster 5I is provided with a piston 51 and the pipes 52 and 54 are connected to the cylinder part 58 at points located on opposite sides of the piston, 51. Normally, the pressure of the fluid in the chamber I8 is transmitted through the ports 35 for maintaining the piston 51 in a non-working position with respect to the operations of the Welder 50. When the Welder 58 is to be operated to engage the work and produce the welds, the valve member I1 islrotated to connect the ports 34 with the chamber I8 and the pressure is transmitted through the pipe 52 to the other side of the piston 51. At the-same time, the exhaust port 31 is connected to the ports 35 and the other side oi the cylinder is exhausted through the pipe 54A as the piston 51 is moved to hydraulically transmit the pressure exerted on the piston 51 to the'welder SII. Upon completion of the weld, the valve member I1 is again moved to connect the ports 34 with the exhaust port 31 which exhausts the'cylinder and transmits the fluid pressure through the ports 35 and the pipe 54 to restore the piston 51 `to its non-working position.

The valve member is controlled by means of a switch 50 located on the Welder 50 that completes a circuit from the source of current that is fed through the main lines 5I to a solenoid 52 and through the switch 6U. The switch 60 operates to complete the circuit of the solenoid 62 which operates a switch 64 to open and close the circuits of. the coils 2I that surround the poles of the stator. As indicated in the drawings, the coils of the diametrically oppositely disposed poles are connected in series with one of the main lines 6I and the switch 54 is connected to the other of the lines. The switch 64 operates to open one of the pairs of coils and to close theother of the pairs of coils upon closure of the manually operated switch 50 and produce corresponding movement of the rotor I4 and actuate the movable valve member to establish the required connections to the booster 5I and produce the correspending operations of the booster and the Welder.

When the Welder engages the work with a pressure to produce a required pressure, suitable means may be provided for immediately and automatically producing ow of the welding current and causing cessation of the 110W of the welding current in advance of the release of the Welder to prevent arcing at the welding,

points.- The booster may be provided :with a suitable switch 65 that may be hydraulically operated by the liquid through which the pressure of the booster is transmitted to the Welder and located in a. pipe 51. The switch 65 is hydraulically operated to close the circuit of.Y a

solenoid 68 that is connected to one of the lines 6I, the switch 65 being connected to the other of the lines vto complete the circuit of the solenoid 68. The solenoid 68 operates a switch 10 that completes the circuit from the main line 6I through 'a primary 1I of a transformer.

-When the current flows through vthe primary 1I it induces the ilow of a current through the secondary 12 that is connected to the welding points 14 of the Welder 5 0.

Immediately upon reduction of the pressure on the piston 51 and in advance of material releasement of pressure of the Welding point 14 on the Work, ythe switch 65 is opened which operates to open the switch 10 and cause cessation of the flow of the Welding current and upon continued reduction of pressure by the movement of the piston 51, the Welding points 14 are separated from the Work, such as by the operation of a spring 15. The Welder 50 may then be movedto another point along the work and the operations repeated. Thus, the piston 51 of the welder 50 will respond quickly to the operation of the switch 60 on the Welder 50 in the control of the welding operation.

'If desired, the booster may be provided with a spring for the return of the piston 5,1, in which case, the passageway leading to the ports 35 may be closed, such as by a suitable plug that may be inserted in the boss 41 and the pipe 54 may be dispensed with. Thus, in the modification of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 7, a spring 11 may be located intermediate the piston 18 of the booster and the lower end of the cylinder 80 for causing the return of the piston 18.. The working stroke of the piston 18 is produced by connecting the ports 34 with the chamber I8 as before to ,cause the transmission of pressure through the pipe 52, as in the form of construction shown in Fig. 6,'and upon subsequent actuation of the electromagnetic means the valve member 'operates to open the ports 34' and permit the transmission of pressure from the chamber I8 to the piston 18 to causethe booster and the welder to perform their working strokes, upon operation of the switch 60. Upon release of the switch 60 the switch 64 is returned to connect the other pair of coils of the stator and cause the movable valve member to,return to its normal position, whereupon the springs and 11 move the welding points and the piston 51 to their normal positions, the air.being exhausted from the booster through the port 31.

I claim:

1. In a valve, an electromagnetic motor means having a stator and a rotor, the valve having a chamber, a valve member located in the chamber and in contact with a wall of the chamber and having arecess, the said wall of the chamber` having exhaust and pressure ports, a bearing member extending through the saidy wall and through the exhaust port and connected to the rotor and the valve member for rotatably supporting the rotor and the valve member, means for introducing fluid under pressure into the chamber and operative to press the Valve member against the end wall of the chamber, the central planes of the stator and rotor extending at right angles to their axis and being relatively displaced to simultaneously release the pressure of the valve on the said Wall and rotate the rotor and sequentially connect the pressure ports with the chamber and alternately connect each pressure port with the exhaust port and the chamber.

2.*In a fluid pressure controlling means, an

electromagnetic motor means having a rotor and a stator, the rotor and stator having pole parts, means for intermittently magnetically energizing the rotor and stator to actuate the rotor, end covers having hub bearing parts and connected to the sides oi the stator and forming a rotor-enclosing chamber. one of the hub parts having a fluid pressure chamber and a port located in the hub part intermediate the charnbers. a valve member located in the hub chamber, means for introducing fluid under pressure into the ilud pressure chamber and operative to press the valve member against the said hub,

a rotor shaft rotatably supported in the hubs and connected to the rotor and the valve member, the central plane of the rotor poles located at right angles to the axis of the shaft disposed outwardly with respect to the central plane of the poles of the rotor at right angles to the axis of the shaft and with respect to the valve member for reducing the contact pressure ot the valve member when the rotor and the valve member are operated by the stator to periodically 10 open and close the connection of the ports with the chamber.

WILLIAM H. MARTIN. 

